PUC wind generation project moving forward in northern Maine
Photo / Jerry & Marcy Monkman, Danita Delimont, Adobe Stock
The Mars Hill Wind Farm is a prominent landmark in Aroostook County. The Maine PUC has chosen a project and a transmission line carrier for a new project in northern Maine.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission has contracted with a transmission line supplier and a wind generation project to connect an area in northern Maine to the New England grid in a bid to promote renewable energy in the region.
LS Power Base was chosen as the supplier at a cost of $2.88 billion along with Longroad Energy's King Pine 1,000 MW wind generation project. The net cost of the two projects is a projected $1.8 billion over a 30-year period. The King Pine area is expected to cover up to 175,000 acres in Aroostook County.
The PUC on Oct. 26 did not make a final termination about how much of the cost Maine ratepayers can "reasonably absorb" to pay for the project, according to a prepared release, but the staff was to look at other states to see if there are partnerships that could reduce the costs to Maine. Staff were directed to provide a report by Jan. 15, 2023, about potential regional partnerships and, based on what they found, recommend next steps to advance the projects.
The projects were evaluated in accordance with state statute and included total cost, value to Maine ratepayers, economic benefits to northern Maine, project viability, technical and financial qualifications of bidders, and land use issues.
The projects will provide “significant benefits to Maine and the region, including construction jobs, property tax revenue for local communities, and environmental benefits from new renewable energy displacing fossil fuels,” according to the PUC release. “The influx of renewable energy into the regional grid will also place downward pressure on electricity prices, benefiting consumers in Maine and throughout New England.
“Importantly, these benefits will accrue to Maine whether we pay for this line or someone else does.”
The Maine Public Utilities Commission regulates rates for electric, telephone, water and gas utilities to ensure Maine residents have access to utility services at a reasonable cost. Learn more about the commission at maine.gov/mpuc.
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